Ask an Expert: Plumbing Supplies Edition
This month we are taking a deep dive into one of the most fabulous AND functional features in a room—the plumbing! There are so many options for plumbing out there, and it can get a little overwhelming!
Hannah Gaynor, a showroom consultant at Ferguson Bath, Kitchen & Lighting Gallery, generously shared her time-tested wisdom to help guide the process of choosing plumbing supplies. Check out our conversation as you embark on the next stage of your renovation. She not only offered great tips about choosing plumbing supplies but also advice that applies to every step of your renovation journey.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Photography by Emily Keeney
Meet Hannah, our plumbing supplies expert!
Sami: I always like to kick things off with a little introduction. What is your job title? How would you describe the work that you do?
Hannah: I am a showroom consultant at Ferguson Bath, Kitchen & Lighting Gallery. We provide plumbing, lighting, and appliances, and help guide customers through the selection process. I work primarily with contractors and designers, who often bring in their homeowners to select all the pretty finishes for inside their homes!
I grew up in Virginia, which is where the Ferguson headquarters are, and my entire family is in construction. I think just being on job sites growing up really sparked a passion.
The selection and decision-making process
Sami: What do you think is the first step for homeowners who are planning a design project that involves new plumbing solutions?
Hannah: So there's not a huge amount of preparation that is needed. I think primarily just knowing what style you want to do—once you do come into the showroom, we'll help take it step by step. I think knowing what style you want is definitely the most important thing. Overall, there's not a ton of homework that you need to do before your visit.
At Ferguson, homeowners are welcome to book free virtual or in-person consultations at our showrooms. Our showrooms are nationwide and display plumbing, lighting, and appliances. Book a consultation here!
Sami: What are three questions someone should ask before shopping for new plumbing supplies?
Hannah: I think question number one is always going to be your price point. You don't want to overextend yourself. That's why I always like to narrow it down to one item. So we'll look at the faucet—if the faucet is outrageously expensive, that means the rest of the collection is going to follow. The second question is to ask yourself what color you want your fixtures to be. The third question is knowing what functions you want.
Common challenges (and how to avoid them!)
Sami: What do you wish that more homeowners knew about the process of choosing new plumbing supplies?
Hannah: I think question number one is always going to be your price point. You don't want to overextend yourself. That's why I always like to narrow it down to one item. So we'll look at the faucet—if the faucet is outrageously expensive, that means the rest of the collection is going to follow. The second question is to ask yourself what color you want your fixtures to be. The third question is knowing what functions you want.
Sami: What are the most challenging fixtures to shop for?
Hannah: There are digital controls for showers now! I think that if you were just on your own, it would be very daunting to pick out a digital shower. However, when you do come into the showroom, we can help simplify that shopping process. The digital shower controls can turn your shower heads on and off, they can control steam, they can control light in your showers, and you can also control it from your phone! I think people are a little bit hesitant to try them. We’re just used to the on-off controls, and people can get a little nervous when they think about mixing electrical parts with plumbing. But it is definitely a very cool feature, and you can still make your bathroom look very beautiful and add elements of design.
Sami: That is such cool technology! I’ll be looking up digital shower controls after this interview. What common challenges, inconveniences, and stumbling blocks should homeowners be prepared for during this process? And—how can they avoid them in the first place?
Hannah: Go in with realistic expectations. There's always a different challenge, and you never see them coming! I think just go in with the expectation that not everything's going to go smoothly. I recommend going with the flow and being okay with pivoting and making quick decisions when they're needed or being okay with slowing things down if there’s something that's important to you to think about. So just go in with the expectation that it will be a bumpy road, but it can be fun if you embrace it!
What does success look like?
Sami: What are the measures of success during a plumbing project?
Hannah: I think a measure of success is just seeing my customers really excited. I think this is a huge investment. And if I were coming into a showroom, not knowing anything about plumbing, not knowing anything about construction, I would really want someone like Jennifer and a showroom consultant to get excited with me and see my vision and make sure that I'm within budget. I like to see the joy that people have when they come into the showroom, and they're picking up the fixtures for their dream home.
Sami: What is your number one tip you would like to share with homeowners?
Hannah: My number one tip is just to take it one step at a time. I think a lot of times people come in and get overwhelmed because they think that they need to pick everything all at once, but I always just select one item to start with.
My go-to is always starting with a bathroom sink faucet. So once you hone in on that bathroom sink faucet, that helps you pick everything else for that room. When you narrow your focus to one item, it becomes less overwhelming.
“My number one tip is just to take it one step at a time. ”
Rising design trends and inspiration
Sami: Can you tell us about a recent project that inspired you or you’re excited about?
Hannah: One that I particularly loved working on was a home in Green Lake. I believe this was one of the first homes that was built in Green Lake, which is a well-known neighborhood in the Seattle area. The homeowners just really embraced wanting to pick fixtures that were functional for today but fit the style and the time period of the original home. They even went as far as to pick the connectors to the toilets! A lot of people don't look at every single detail, but these homeowners really embraced it, and the result was beautiful.
Sami: Are there any trends that you’ve been noticing lately?
Hannah: I really love timeless design. I get my inspiration from looking at museums or different classical periods. A specific example of a trend that I like would be brass finishes. I really like an unlacquered brass that develops a patina over time.
Photography by Emily Keeney
Budgets, costs, and more, oh my!
Sami: Breaking down the budget: What are the typical low, medium, and high budget ranges for a plumbing renovation that a homeowner could expect?
Hannah: I would say it depends a lot on the color that you're choosing for the fixture and then also the function. You can get your high-end plumbing fixtures for really great value if you do polished chrome. Chrome is a very good quality product and it's manufactured the most. So that's why the price can be lower. If you do polished chrome and one shower head, you can get really great quality fixtures for probably around $2000 just for one bathroom.
But if you're doing any specialty finishes, like a gold or a matte black, and you've got multiple shower heads, you've got hand showers, and body sprays, then you can spend, well, an endless amount! I'd say on the high end for one bathroom would be around $7000.
Sami: Do you have any tips for homeowners on a budget?
Hannah: I think just finding out what's important to you because everyone will want to splurge on one item. Typically what I do is when customers come into the showroom and they're very concerned about budgets, I always tell them to pick out one dream fixture. Don't worry about the budget and then we'll put together a portfolio. You'll see what that price point is. Then you can go home and decide if the fixture is worth the splurge. If the answer is no, then we can come back and discuss that and there are usually alternative options that look similar and have the same kind of quality. Overall, I think starting with your dream item is a good place because then you're still excited about your selections. It's not like, oh, I picked that because it was a better price.
I want to give a big thanks to Hannah for taking the time to share her expertise and experiences with us! Visit www.fergusonshowrooms.com if you’re ready to begin a conversation with a plumbing fixture expert.
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